Wisconsin Dells PD: Crews recover body from river, continues search for other boater

CBS 58

UPDATE on Saturday, April 5 at 3:49 p.m.: 

Search teams in Wisconsin Dells are continuing to look for a missing person after a boat carrying three people capsized on Thursday. 

Police identified the missing boater as 20-year-old Francesco Di Filippo of Chicago. The person found dead yesterday was identified as 75-year-old Luis Di Filippo.


Police say until water conditions improve, underwater searches cannot be performed. However, the Wisconsin DNR launched boats and police are searching along the river by foot, with the help of aerial drones. 


UPDATE on Friday, April 4 at 5;56 p.m.:

WISCONSIN DELLS, Wis. (CBS 58) -- The Wisconsin Dells Police Department says one missing boater was recovered from the water and was pronounced deceased. 

They are continuing to search for the second boater that is still missing. However, they say the river flow and currents are making it extremely challenging. Divers tried to deploy, but the current was deemed unsafe. They say the search will continue as the river dictates. 


WISCONSIN DELLS, Wis. (CBS 58) -- A boat capsized in the Wisconsin River on Thursday, April 3. 

It happened around 4:24 p.m. near the Kilbourn Dam. 

According to the Wisconsin Dells Police Department, it was reported that there was three people on the boat at the time of the incident. One person was able to swim safely to shore. Police say they were turned to EMS for treatment and evaluation. 

Two other boaters were not seen after disappearing under the water. Multiple rescue boats searched for the boaters, but due to the high flow of water from the dam and fast-moving currents, divers could not dive to search for them. Boats with sonar capabilities, aerial drones, shoreline searches, and an underwater drone were also used. 

Police say the search had to be suspended overnight due to the unpredictable flow of the river, and for the safety of the rescuers.  They say search efforts will resume in the morning. 


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